Electric-light attachment for levels.



, P. E. CURTIS.

ELECTRIC LIGHT ATTACHMENT FOR LEVELS. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 16, 1913.

1,121,329. Patented Dec. 15,1914.

Tn sraE k "f i z a 1 i i PERLIE E. CURTIS, OF BANGOR, MAINE.

ELECTRIC-LIGET ATTACHMENT FOR LEVELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

Application filed May 16, 1913. Serial No. 768,176.

and useful Improvements in Electric-Light Attachments for Levels, 'of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in carpenters levels, the primary object of-my invention being the provision of means for lighting up the bubble tubes of a level in such a manner that the position of the bubble may be readily seen in the dark.

It is well known that in many instances the level must be used in basements and other places where it is too dark to see the bubble without a light and oftentimes these basements are used for the storage of goods of such a nature that it is dangerous to light matches or lamps. Under these "circumstances it has been necessary, unless the building is equipped with electric lights so that an extension can be run to the place where the work is being done, to use pocket flash lights. This however, is a disadvantage as both hands of the workman are often employed in holding the level and certain of the timbers which are being positioned and he can not employ the flash light himself, thus requiring the assistance of a helper. To obviate this difiiculty I have provided pockets in the body of the level itself to receive a small dry battery and electric lamps, the lamp receiving pockets being so arranged that the light therefrom passes outwardly through the bubble tubes and consequently clearly lights up the bubbles.

In this connection, a further object of my invention is to so arrange the lamp re ceiving pockets as to render the lamps as effective as possible and at the same time have them accessible for renewal. And a still further object of my invention is to provide a switch for the lighting circuit between the battery and lamps so arranged that it may be readily closed by the operator while holding the level in his hand in the usual manner and further so arranged as to lie entirely within that face of the level to which it is applied in order to offer no obstruction to the use of the level for all purposes.

IVith these and other objects in View, my

invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically pointed .out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of my improved level; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, parts being broken away to permit the showing of the level upon an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the contacts employed in connection with one of the lamps; Fig. 4 is a similar view of the contact employed in connection with the other lamp.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indi-' cated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In the drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have illustrated the lighting system in connection with a conventional form'of level 10 formed of wood and having the usual longitudinally extending bubble tube 11 protected by a slotted face plate 12 and the transverse bubble tube 13 which is exposed through a sight opening 14 formed transversely through one end portion of the level, the former bubble tube being used in leveling horizontal timbers and the like, while the latter is used in truing vertical timbers and the like.- It will, however, be understood that the light ing system hereinafter to be fully described may be employed with any conventional type of level and also with levels constructed of metal as well as wood, the sole distinction in the latter case being that care must be taken in regard to the insulation of the lighting circuit from the body of the level.

In carrying out my invention I recess that pocket or chamber 18 adjacent the bubble tube 11 and further recessed to provide a second lamp pocket or chamber 19 adjacent the bubble tube 13. The bore 17 communicontacts 38 and cates with both of these lamp pockets and both pockets are undercut to open out directly beneath their respective bubble tubes. The said face of the level is further recessed as at 20 to receive the push button switch which will be later described, bores 21 and 22 leading to this recess from the pocket 19.

Mounted in the pocket 18 and in alinement with the bore 17 is a spring contact 23 including a body portion provi ed at one end with a laterally 24 to receive a screw a binding post and having an upward then downwardly bowed free end. bracket 26 is secured to one wall of .the pocket 18 by a screw 27 and this bracket is provided with a threaded socket 28 to receive the threaded plug of a small electric light bulb 29. This bulb, when in place, bears by the contact portion of its plug against the contact 23 and the circuit passes from said contact through the filament of the burner to the socket 28 and bracket 26. 'A spring contact 30 is secured in the pocket 19 by a screw 31, forming a binding post as will be later explained, this contact, as shown in Fig. 4, includes a body member perforated at one end for the screw and having its opposite end bowed outwardly for g plug contact for a second light bulb 32 which is a threaded socket 33 of a bracket secured in the pocket 19 by screws 34 also forming binding posts. Mounted in the recess 20, is a switch including a fixed contact 35 and a spring contact 36 which is fixedly secured by one end and the opposite end of which, because of its resiliency,

is normally held'slightly out of engagement with the contact 35. his free end however, may, under pressure by the finger of the operator,-be moved into engagement with the contact 35.

Seated in the extension 16 of the battery pocket 15, is a removable contact carrying plate or block 37 formed of insulating material and threaded into this block are spaced 39.. A wire 40 connects the the contact 23 being secure the screw 25, a wire 41 leads 23 to the contact 30 being secured thereto by the screw 31, a wire 42 leads from the screw 27 of the bracket 26 to one of the screws 34 of the socket forming bracket 33, a wire 43 leads from the opposite screw of this socket bracket to the movable switch contact 36 anda wire 44 leads from the fixed contact 35 of the switch back to the contact 39. A dry cell 45 of any suitable type, such as is commonly used. in pocket flash lights, is positioned in the and this pock contact 38 with to the latter by from the contact tioned and the contacts 38 and 39 so ar-",

terminals 46 and 471' ;s1ght opening ranged that the spring through the filament o supporte 1n vback to the g ble tubes may any time while holding the level in a ,natural weakened from chamber 15 et.or chamber is sopropor f.

when the latter is in place,

are held against spectively.

The light bulb receiving mally closed by cap plates 48 and 49 which are formed tolie flush with the face of the level and which may be secured in place by screws or other suitable fastening devices. That end of the level through which the pocket 15 opens is bound about by a strip of angle metal 50, the laterally directed flange of which forms guides for a sliding closure 51 which, when in place, bears against the outer end of the cell 45 to hold the same with its spring contacts in engagement with the contacts 38 and 39. i

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with'the drawings, the operation of my improved level will be readily understood. Under normal conditions, the battery circuit is opened through the switch 35-36. When, however, this switch is closed current passes from the dry cell through the contact 38 and wire 40 and from there branches, one branch passing f the light bulb :29-to the wire 42 to pockets are northe bracket 27 and through the bracket 33, through said bracket an wire 43 to the switch, through the and back through the return wire 44 to the battery cell 45. The other branch passes from thecontact 23 .through 1 to the wire 4 the contact 30 through the burnerfilament and bracket 33 and wire 43o'to the switchand battery cell 44, both lights being thereby lighted. r With a level constructed .in accordance with the above described invention,

be readily illuminated at manner and the requirement for all outside lighting is avoided. As the battery becomes use it may be removed and replaced by another, none of the connections being loosened as the engagement between the terminals of the battery and. the contacts is wholly through the resiliency of said terminals.

Although I have illustrated and described my invention in detail, it will of course be understood that any changes in the details of construction, within the scope of the apended claims, may be ma without in the slightest degree departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A level including a parallelepiped shaped body having a bubble tube set in one face intermediate the length of the body by thefreturn Wire the bubdo if desired, 7

and provided adjacent one end with a sight opening and a bubble tube set in the body adjacent the sight opening, sai body member being provided at that with a battery receiving end opposite thepocket opening through such end and further provided with a straight, continuous and uninterrupted assage leading from such pocket to the sight opening and with additional pockets communicating with the passage and located adjacent each of the bubble tubes, electric light bulbs supported in each of the additional pockets to cast their light upon the bubble tubes, conductor wires leading from the lights through the passage to the battery pocket, said battery pocket, at its inner end, being provided with an extension, a block of insulating material positioned inthe extension of the battery pocket and held against movement therein, spaced contacts carried by said block and insulated from each other, the conductor wires being connected to such contacts, a battery mounted in the battery pocket and secured against outward movement therefrom, and resilient contacts carried by the battery engaglng the contacts of the block and through their resiliency holding the block against outward movement.

2. An electrically lighted level including a parallelepiped sha ed body having a bubble tube set in one ace and provided adjacent the bubble tube with a light receiving pocket and adjacent one end with a battery receiving pocket, a battery positioned in its pocket, an internally threaded sleeve mounted in the light pocket and serving as a socket for an electric light bulb, wires leading from the poles of the battery to the light pocket and one connected to the sleeve, and a resilient contact connected to the other wire and engaging against the light bulb, said resilient contact including an arcuate resilient body member, one end of which engages the light bulb and the other end of which carries a laterally directed perforated ear to receive a fastening device by which the contact is secured in place.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PERLIE E. CURTIS. 

